Questions for Trilostane/Vetoryl Users w/Elevated Intermediate/Sex Hormones

[addy]

I am hoping all, who can, will participate in answering these questions so we may possibly learn more from our dogs:



1- Please list any elevations of : Estradiol, Progesterone, Aldosterone, 17 OH Progesterone, Androstenedione and Cortisol

2- Please list how long you have treated

3- Please list symptoms prior to treatment

4- Please list any non resolved symptoms

5- Please list any new symptoms

6- Please list diet: canned, kibble, commercial raw, raw, home cooked

Thank you so vey much for helping shed more light on our pups disease.


Addy, Zoe and Koko:)

[littleone1]

Hi my dear friend,

On page 34 of Corky's thread are the results of Corky's 2 adrenal panels, along with the ranges.

Corky had the full blown Cushings symptoms. He's been taking Trilo a little over a year now. He went from 20mg once a day to 40mg BID. Within a short period of time after starting the Trilo, Corky's symptoms did disappear. When I notice some symptoms starting to return, his cortisol level is rising and his dose is adjusted accordingly. There are times when he was suppose to have his stim done after 3 months, but didn't make it that long before he had to be stimmed again.

He only eats home cooked meals - low fat ground beef, turkey, and boneless, skinless chicken breasts, green beans, once in awhile he'll get sweet potatoes or pumpkin, rice, and low-fat plain yogurt. He will occasionally have steak or an Arby's melt.

I hope this helps.

Give Zoe and Koko big hugs from me.

[lulusmom]

Please see my responses below:


1- Please list any elevations of : Estradiol, Progesterone, Aldosterone, 17 OH Progesterone, Androstenedione and Cortisol

Lulu was diagnosed in 2005 and at that time a UTK panel was done and she had some mild elevations. Unfortunately, I cannot find a copy of that panel. She started treatment in 2005 on Lysodren and we switched to Trilostane in 2006. After two years on Trilostane, we decided to switch her back to Lysodren to see if she would regrow her coat. Five weeks after discontinuing Trilostane, we did another utk panel at Dr. Oliver's recommendation and intermediates were really high.

Cortisol Pre 41.1 (4.0 - 59.9 ng/ml) Post 202.3 (66.7 - 174.8)
Androst. Pre 18.8 (1.9 - 11.9 ng/ml) Post >100 (3.8 - 42.1)
Estradiol Pre 8.2 (31.5 - 65.4 pg/ml) Post 84.8 (31.8 - 63.1)
Progest. Pre .40 (.03 - 2.18 ng/ml) Post 7.90 (.33 - 4.33)
17 OH P. Pre 1.01 (.08 - .69 ng/ml) Post >25 (.68 - 4.44)
Aldosterone Pre 63.7 (11 - 149.9 pg/ml) Post 507.1 (72.9 - 398.5)

This panel was done on 8/22/08 which was about five weeks after her last dose of Trilo. Despite these really high elevations in intermediates, she was totally asymptomatic and her bloodwork was normal. She did not become symptomatic for nearly three more months at which time her post stim came back at 25.2 ug/dl on 11/16/08. It was very apparent that in Lulu's case, the cortisol was driving the symptoms, not the intermediates.

2- Please list how long you have treated

Treated with Trilostane for two years

3- Please list symptoms prior to treatment

Panting, voracious appetite, bad skin and coat

4- Please list any non resolved symptoms

Lulu had regained some peach fuzz on Lysodren but lost that while on Trilostane. She has now been on Lysodren for two years and still no coat so I'm not sure Trilostane was the culprit.

5- Please list any new symptoms

Lulu's cortisol was well controlled by Trilostane for two years and in that time, she never experienced any rebound in symptoms. As previously mentioned, she did not become symptomatic again until her post cortisol was above 25 ug/dl, despite the high elevations in intermediates.

6- Please list diet: canned, kibble, commercial raw, raw, home cooked

At the time we initiated treatment with Trilostane, Lulu was on kibble but was switched to Primal organic chicken raw food a year into treatment.

I forgot to mention that we started Lulu on Melatonin and Lignans directly after the last UTK panel. I was actually giving her too much lignans for about two months. She took both for at least a year with no improvement in skin or coat so we discontinued it.

[apollo6]

Dear Addy
Hope this helps

1- Please list any elevations of : Was not tested for sex hormones, Cortisol reading went down after taking Trilostane

2- Please list how long you have treated
June 2010 til now-4.5 months
3- Please list symptoms prior to treatment
loss of hair-ears, body, tail, dark underbelly skin, skin liaisons, pot belly, extreme thirst.

4- Please list any non resolved symptoms
Still has some skin issues.

5- Please list any new symptoms
hind leg weakness, stiff gait. Not a symptom , but started growing hair on next and upper chest-didn't have before.

6- Please list diet:
A.M-low fat cottage cheese, Greek nonfat yogurt, egg white
, low sodium turkey slice, supplements

NOON- long WHEAT grain rice, cooked chicken, teaspoon canola oil,
ADDED PURRED,CARROT

AFTER 4P.M-cooked potatoes with skin, chicken
Nutri Deni minichew or Greenie
Halo-Live N Little skin & Coat treat with Salmon
Have alternated with organic baby food-summer veg with pumpkin, turkey with veg, spinach.
Slice apple, sometimes blue berries, honey melon

GREENIE/NUTRI DENTAL CHEW-MINI-TWICE DAILY
holistic supplements
CAINE THYROID SUPPORT
milkthiste for dogs
COLOSTRUM
COSEQUIN DS Glocosomante 500mg Magn-500, Sodium chrondrite 500
SOLID GOLD SEAMEAL
NATURE VET BREWER YEAST
WITH LINOLEUM, OMEGA 3,6,9 FATTY ACID
KAL BONE MEAL CAL 1620MG
PHOSPHORUS-(BONE) 540
Mag-18
CUSHEX DROPS
Norwegian Salmon Oil 1TSP
SUPPLE SPINE Use only as needed
RXBIOTIC 1 SCOOP DAILY

[caz]

Hi Teddy's mom.

Great questions, very interested in hearing from everyone.

Teddy has now had 3 ACTH tests sent to UTK since Nov 2009; his last ACTH showed 4 of the 6 hormones are now at normal levels and the other 2 have increased; my vet seems to think that may be more of an age issue than a cushings issue and is happy with Teddys progress. I have not received the report from my vet yet (he just read me the results via the phone) but will post his results when I get them next week.

Teddy is on flax and melatonin and shows no symptoms. Prior to starting flax/melatonin, Teddy showed very mild symptoms (he had gained 1.5 lbs but no pot belly, very dry hair in the hind, didn't jump up on the bed, aside from these symptoms Teddy had allergies since a young puppy -licking paws, frequent ear infections). Teddy was on Hills Science Vet diet (kibble) before I went down the cushings/allergy journey!

Now that I have added Melatonin/flax and changed his diet (homemade food, organic turkey, macaroni (gluten free), eggs, cabbage, Hilary's blend supplement, salmon and cod liver oil) he has no symptoms at all. His energy has increased, he's lost 2 lbs, no ear infections, no paw licking, great hair!

now I have a question for you all--I read an article from a vet who is doing research on early neutering and cushings/allergy connection. I neutered Teddy at 3 months old based on my vets recommendations, now I'm hearing that could have contributed to his hormone imbalance (atypical cushings). Thoughts?
Christine

[lulusmom]

Hi Christine, can you provide a link to the article you mentioned? Lulu was spayed before six months as was my healthy boy, Buster and I'm hoping he stays that way.